Holder and tray for playing-cards



E. S. DESSAU SALAMBO.

HOLDER AND TRAY FOR PLAYING CARDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 91B.

Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

0 a a k a a L a o ERLE S, DESSAU SALA MBO, OF CHICAGO, ILLIN'OIS.

HOLDER'AND TRAY FOR PLAYING-CARDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' PatentedNov. 4;, 1919.

- Application filed February 19, 1918. Serial N0. 218,020.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known thatI, ERLE S. DESSAU SA- LAMBO, citizen of the United-States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Holders and Trays for Playing-Cards, of which the fol lowing is the specification.

This invention relates broadly to a tray for playing cardsa-nd morespecifically to a tray that when not inuse for playing can be folded upto serve as a holder for the cards.

Among the objects of -my invention is to provide atray for playing cardsadapted to receive and hold both the pack-and the-discards; further to permit thediscards to be stacked in the tray in crisscrossrelationiand firmly held in such position;'further to prevent the blowing away of the cards not being held in the hand when playing out of doors; further to provide means whereby the tray may be folded "upand locked in closed position to serve as a carrying receptacle for the cards and which may beeasily carried in the pocket-or thrown into a suit case or the like; further to provide a tray which may be turned over whereby the card holding projections will serve as legs, and the bottom be used as a cribbage board; further to constructa tray in which the pack may beheld straight in one end of the tray and the discards held in crisscross position in the other end; further to provide a more simple, economical, neat and eflicacious tray and holder; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of partsshownin the accompanying drawing, and while I have illustrated therein a 'preferred embodiment of my invention; I desire to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification-and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of my invention and showing the same open in position for" use when playing.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view-of the same t1on.

Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view through Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a modification of my improved tray.

Fig. dis a longitudinal, vertical section through Fig. d. 4 Referring to the drawings the preferred form of my invention as shown in Fig. 1 comprises the two plates 1 and 2respectively hinged by means of the'hinges 3 to the back plate 4 which is provided at each-end with the upstanding flanges 5. The plates 1 and 2 have bent Pup therefrom along their side edges the upstanding projections 6, 7 and 8, 9-respectively, and along their edges paral lel to the hinges 3 with the projections 10 andfll which'are formed with theinterlocking projections and indentations a and 2) adapted to lock the device in closed position as indicated in Fig. 3. The parts 1 and 2 are also provided with the upstanding projections 12 and 13 at a suitable distance from the edges. The projection 12 comprises thewings or members ltand 15 arranged at right angles to each other, while the projection 13 comprises similar rectangular wings or members 16 and 17 but extending in the opposite direction t0 wings 14 and 15, as shown. The plates 1, 2 and 4 are preferably made of metal nickel-plated on the outside and formed with a white finish on the inside; any other suitable finish form, but-showing the parts in closed posihowever may be given to these parts as desired. The hinges 3 permit the plates 1 and 2 to be swungwith relation to the back plate 4 and closed up like a book the projections 10 sliding over the projections 11 in closing until the small locking projections a snap into interlocking engagement with the indentations Z) tohold the device closed like a book as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

My new tray is intended primarily for "the'g'ame called salambo but can be used for playing rummy, cribbage and other card games. 'In playing'sal'ambo the tray is'laid 'ment A is to" hold the pack'face down, while compartment B is to hold the discards placed face up and in crisscross relation in order to exhibit two cards at a time and no more. Every card discarded in the game of salambo must crisscross with the last card discarded (alternately first one way, and then the other). As shown on the left hand side of Fig. 1 this crisscrossing of the cards in compartment B is effected by placing one card with its long edges between the face of the wing or projection 16 and the ears 9, and its end edge against one of the ears 11, while the next card will be laid with its long edges between the edge 0 of the projection 13, and the two ears 11, and its end edges between the ears 8 and 9. The pack p is shown face down in compartment A on the right hand side of Fig. 1, which compartment is defined by the face 14. of the projection 12, the ear 10 nearer the top of the drawing, and the two projections or ears 6. It is obvious of course, that if de sired the pack might in compartment A also be placed in the space defined by the ears 6, 7 and 10 and the edge (l of the projection 12. It is in this latter position that the entire pack is placed preparatory to folding up the tray in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to serve as a holder or carrying case which may be readily carried in ones pocket, or thrown into a suit case, grip, or the like. The projections or ears of plates 1 and 2 in Fig. 1 are arranged symmetrically so that the tray may be turned end for end and the arrangement of the projections with relation to the player still remain the same.

By opening the tray of Fig. 1 out fiat and inverting it so that the upstanding projections will serve as supporting legs, the back of the tray will serve as a cribbage board, and in order to provide counting means for this game the plates 1 and 2 have been symmetrically provided with the apertures 18 arranged in groups of five as shown. By virtue of the upstanding projections my improved tray will serve admirably for playing cards out of doors, for example at picnics, soldiers and sailors playing on barrel heads boxes or the like, and other out of doors occasions, at which times it will be readily seen that these upstanding projections will prevent the wind from blowing away the cards. This tray and holder is furthermore well adapted for use by any one who travels much, it only being necessary to take the holder (folded into book form with the deck therein as shown in Fig. 2) from the pocket or grip, and open it up into the position shown in Fig. 1 when it is immediately ready for use.

The modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises the T-shaped body portion 20 having the head 21 and extension 22 preferably formed of metal and having bent up therefrom the projections 23 and 21 at the respective sides of the head 21 and the projections 25 at the end of the extension 22. Also stamped out and bent up from the body portion and spaced inwardly from the edges are the upstanding ears or projections 26, 27, and 28, the projection 28 being located substantially midway of the juncture of the extension 22 with the head 21 and parallel with the projections The cars or projections 26 and 27 are bent upright from the body of the plate into a position at right angles to each other as shown in Fig. 4L and serve to hold the cards in crisscross relation in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the wings or members 16, 17 of projection 13 in Fig. 1. It is obvious of course that the projections 26 and 27 of Fig. 41 and 12 and 13 of Fig. 1 may be formed either by stamping out two ears from the body of the metal. and bending them upright or by securing a rectangular separate piece on as desired. In using the tray of Figs. 1 and 5 the pack will be placed straight between the projections 25 and 28 as shown at the right hand side of at, and the discards, in. crisscross relation as shown at the left hand side of this same figure. This form of tray cannot be folded up to serve as a carrying case as can the tray of Fig. 1, yet their use in playing salambo or the like is substantially identical. the broad iwrentive idea remaining the same. The tray of Fig. 41 is known as the home board, and in order to prevent the scratching or marring of polished table tops in the home it is provided on the top and bottom respectively with a layer 30 and 31 of plush, velvet or other suitable soft material which further serves as a preventive of the tray sliding upon the table too easily. Between the upper layer of velvet and the top surface of the metal body portion I preferably insert a layer 32 of card board or the like conforming in configuration to the outlines of the tray.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a body portion, a plurality of upstanding projections positioned adjacent the edges of said body portion, and a plurality of upstanding faces angularly arranged with relation to each other and removed from said edges whereby said device will receive the pack in straight position at one place and the discards in criss-cross relation at another.

2. In a device of the class described a body portion having a plurality of upstanding marginal projections, and other projections removed from the margin and arranged adjacent to and at right angles to each other whereby to accommodate the discards in cries-cross relation.

3. In a device of the class described a body portion having a plurality of upstanding projections some of said projections being arranged adjacent and at right angles to each other whereby to accommodate the discards, in cries-cross relation, and a covering of soft material on said body portion whereby to prevent the sliding on or scratching of polished furniture.

4. In a device of the class described a body portion comprising three parts flexibly connected together whereby they may be closed as a book or laid open flat, a plurality of marginal projections on the larger two of said three parts and a plurality of angularly arranged adjacent projections on said larger two parts and removed from the margin thereof whereb when said parts are laid open flat the body of a card pack may be held straight between the projections on either of the said larger two parts, and the discards held crisscross between the projections on the other of said larger two parts.

5. In a device of the class described a body portion comprising a plurality of parts flexibly connected together, and means on each of the outer two of said parts to receive and hold the body portion of a pack of playing cards straight in one of them and the discards crisscross in the other.

6. In a device of the class described a body portion comprising a plurality of parts flexibly connected together, means on each of the outer two of said parts to receive and hold the body portion of a pack of playing cards straight in one of them and the dis cards criss-cross in the other, when the parts are laid out fiat, the construction of the flexible connection and parts being such as to permit the device to be folded up to serve as a carrying case for the cards.

7. A playing card tray and holder comprising means to receive and hold cards both straight and criss-cross during playing and means to permit said tray and holder to close up similar to a book to serve as a carrying case for the cards.

8. A playing card tray and holder comprising a body portion, and means to define passages of the width and length of a playing card and angularly positioned with relation to each other, whereby to hold the cards either straight or crisscross and at the same time prevent them blowing away when playing out of doors, said tray and holder being foldable like a book.

9. A playing card tray and holder comprising a body portion having a plurality of projections thereon, the back of said body portion being constructed for use as a crib bage board, said projections being arranged to receive and hold the cards in either straight or crisscross relation when the tray and holder is laid out flat, and serving as supporting legs when the tray and holder is turned over for use as a cribbage board.

10. A playing card tray and holder com prising three hingedly connected parts resembling in shape and proportion the covers and back of and adapted to close like a book, a plurality of bent up projections around the outer margins of the larger two parts, other projections spaced inwardly from the edges of said last mentioned parts, said last mentioned projections being formed to present two sides extending at right angles to each other on each of said larger two parts, the arrangement of the projections being such that cards may be placed and held therebetween either straight or crisscross on either or both of said two larger parts when said three parts are in open position, and means to lock said parts shut when closed like a book to serve as a card case or holder.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification;

ER-LE S. DESSAU SALAMBO.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

